just a little help

hey everyone, I am new to pwc's recently got an slt 700 that had been standing for over 4 years, got her all cleaned , new gas, oil battery etc and had her in the water a couple of times, unfortunately don't have any manuals so being new have some questions.
1) is it right that to test start it you should not turn on the water until it starts and if so how long can you run it with the water on?
2) Is the bilge pump purely for removing water from the hull, I see other skis with a jet coming out the back when they are on the water, my 700 doesn't have anything, the pump starts when you hit the start switch, is this right ?
3) can anyone tell me how to check the fuel guage, it doesnt ever read more than 1/4 and goes back to empty when it runs

you help would be appreciated, I love the polaris and want to keep her running

(2)the jet you are seeing is small right? the one that comes out of back of other skis? that is a yamaha ski! only those skis have that and its just for show. and when you start the ski it will move there is no gear for a true "neutral" but if you have reverse you will have a neutral that keeps the jetski from moving.

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1) is it right that to test start it you should not turn on the water until it starts and if so how long can you run it with the water on?Sequence is;
Engine start, then water on
Water off, then engine off

You can idle/run without water for 10-20 seconds at a time.
With water hose connected, maximum run time is two minutes, and preferably one minute. Reason is the drive shaft and impeller shaft seals are cooled only when the hull is actually floating in water.

2) Is the bilge pump purely for removing water from the hull, Yes
It will run whenever the engine is running, but only discharge water if there is any in the hull to pump out.

I see other skis with a jet coming out the back when they are on the water..Yamaha brand PWC have a 'visibility spout' built into their jet pump system. Nothing to do with the bilge pump.

3) can anyone tell me how to check the fuel gauge, it doesn't ever read more than 1/4 and goes back to empty when it runs

you help would be appreciated, I love the Polaris and want to keep her running

It sounds like the float inside your fuel sender is no longer floating properly. They can become 'gasoline-logged' with time, and don't float as they should.

If you want to confirm it, take the sender out of the tank, and hold it sideways so the float just slides towards the upper end. The MFD display should show an increased tank level. Don't turn it completely upside down, as that can cause the sender to indicate an empty tank

thanks guys

Thanks for the replies that helps a lot I will check out the sender unit, can I ask one more question?

OK I will anyway. When I was out on the water after about 25 minutes I got a loud "whistle" alarm sound, I slowed all the way down and went back to the boat ramp, can you tell me what this is, I have had different answers from low fuel or oil to overheating, does anyone know the answer ?

...When I was out on the water after about 25 minutes I got a loud "whistle" alarm sound, I slowed all the way down and went back to the boat ramp, can you tell me what this is, I have had different answers from low fuel or oil to overheating, does anyone know the answer?...

Questions are fine. If you cannot find the answer by searching, reading, and researching, go ahead and ask

What model year is your SLT 700?
Last two digits on the metal HIN plate on the rear deck are the model year.

Looking at the wiring diagrams, the only alarm that makes noise is the buzzer, which will sound for High engine temp, and low oil level.

Did the whistle noise immediately stop as soon as you slowed down?

Could it just be the whistle on your safety lanyard? At higher speeds, the wind can make the whistle sound.
Surprised me the first few times it happened...

Tuck the whistle on the lanyard into your PFD (works best if you clip the lanyard to your PFD instead of your wrist ), or just clip the whistle separately to the PFD, and tuck it in.

thanks again this is fantastic, the year is 96, it did stop when i slowed down but not completely, i took the oil tank out and cleaned the level float, i had previously changed the oil because it was 4 years old, i am worried about the temperature possibilities, is there any checks i should do and also was it because I had just run it fast to test it, what is recommended for driving times at certain speeds are pwc's designed to run full open ?

Normal operating temp is about 140F. If you can put your hand on the engine and exhaust manifold areas, and hold it there for a few seconds without pain, then the engine is not overheating. If water sizzles on contact, or you cannot touch the engine without burning yourself, it is too hot.

In good running order, properly maintained, these engines are very reliable, especially the two cylinder version.

There are a few things that are known weak areas, but over all it is a solid engine.

That said, since the machine is new to you, you should not assume anything is the way it should be. It is a good idea to go over the machine from end to end, and ensure nothing is wrong.

Check cylinder compression, replace the fuel (and oil) lines if they are original gray Tempo, use the correct spark plugs, etc.

A PWC engine, in good running condition, can be operated for long periods of time at any throttle level, including wide open, top speed. It is prudent to ride it at moderate speeds for the first few minutes, to warm the engine up before zooming off, but that is about it.